Furnace.



No. 790,777. PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

- W. N. BEST.

FURNACE.

APPLIOATION FILED June, 1902.

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u d/messes 616 Mai Z4 Patented May 23, 1905.

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IVILLIAM NEWTON BEST, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR," BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO W. N. BEST INTERNATIONAL CALORIFIC COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALI- FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,777, dated May 23, 1905.

Application filed June 9,1902. Serial No. 110,921.

To all, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM NEWTON Bns'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a furnace for heating locomotive and stationary boilers and for other purposes.

The invention is peculiarly applicable to furnaces for burning liquid fuel, and pertains to the construction and formation of the lireboX and the adjuncts thereto for accomplishing the objects herein specified.

While the invention is applicable to various kinds of furnaces, it is specially adapted for the furnaces of locomotive-engines.

In furnaces heated by liquid fuel it is necessary to line the fire-box with fire-brick or some other refractory material. great difliculty has been experienced in holding the fire-brick in the fire-box, especially on high-speed passenger-engines. An object of this invention is to overcome this difficulty. This I do by using foundation-brick of peculiar construction provided with lugs or shoulders at the top in order to hold in place the superposed bricks, and said superposed bricks may be constructed with tongue and groove in order to hold them in place and may be further supported by lugs or studs fastened to the shell of the fire-box.

The requirements of railways are such that locomotives should be capable of doing service on either freight-trains or passenger-trains; and an object of this invention is to provide means whereby the furnace for anoil-burning locomotive may be readily changed from passenger service to freight service, and vice versa.

Another object of the invention is to secure a high degree of efliciency in the consumption of the fuel and the application of the heat where required.

Another object of this invention is to provide means whereby the fire-box of the furnace can be so lined with refractory walls that Heretofore by the use of oil as fuel the flame may be directed against the walls and recoil under an arch and all portions of the fire-box may be filled with flame,- guarding against uneven expansion and distributing the heat evenly in all portions of the fire-box, as well as to and through the fines.

In order that perfect combustionmay be obtained, I have provided superior means for admitting air into the furnace or fire-box at a novel and highly-desirable point in addition to the points at which the air has heretofore been admitted, and thus to provide the necessary oxygen and in a measure superheat the same to insure the desired perfect combustion.

In this invention air may be admitted at various advantageous parts of the fire-box or furnace.

It is well known that the cross-wall and arch-brick of an oil-burning locomotive-furnace is liable'to waste away owing to the excessive heat. An object of this invention is to prevent this wasting away of such wall and arch. This I do by making the same hollow and passing air therethrough, and at the same time I inefease the e'fficiency of the furnace by introducing said air to the blaze in a superheated condition at such a place as to increase the combustion over what would otherwise occur.

Owing to the peculiar construction and different types of locomotive fire-boxes, which render necessary a varied construction of bottom linings and arch-brick and [ire-brick, I do not limit myself to any particular type or construction keeping within the limits of con struction of the fire-brick and bottom lining practically as hereinafter described, varying in size and construction to meet the demands of different types of locomotive fire-boxes.

An object of the invention is to provide a fire-brick lining for the fire-boxes of locomotives which can be easily placed in position and taken apart and replaced and repaired.

I have discovered that the essential cause of the shortness of the lives of fire-box arched linings for locomotives is the tendency of the fire to attack the brick at the seams and joints .low the swell of the fire-box.

of the upper portion of the arch and that by constructing an arch-section by making the are and the pier and springer portions integral the life of the ire-brick arch is indefinitely increased and the arch will stand for an indefinite length of time, the liability of the locomotive becoming frequently disabled by any breaking down of the lire-brick lining being done away with and danger of delay and accident from that cause avoided. At the same time the new construction is especially adapted for being easily placed in and taken out of position, so that in case of repairs to the locomotive lire-box or lining but little time is required for removing and replacing the lining. Furthermore, the lining is by this construction held more securely in place against the wrenching and other action of the forces at work in the locomotive during operation.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure I is a fragmental view of a locomotive furnished with my invention. Fig. II is a sectional plan of the same. Line II II in Fig. I indicates the lines of sight from which the view istaken, the sidesbeing sectioned be- Dotted lines indicate parts of the construction obscured from view by other parts. Fig. III is an enlarged detail of portions of the bottom lining and dampers attached shown in Fig. I. Fig. IV is a broken plan detail of one of the side walls of the fire-box and lining therefor. The shell of the fire-box is shown in section. Fig. V is a section on line V V, Figs. I and II. Fig. VI is a fragmental detail rear elevation omitting the fire-box and the ash-pan and showing the arrangement of the dampers for closing the rear air-passage from the ash-pan or air-trunk into the lire-box. The oil-burner is also shown as in place. Fig. VII is a perspective view of one of the foundation-bricks detached. Fig. VIII is a perspective view of one of the superposed wall-bricks detached.

1 designates the fire-box; 2, an air-trunk beneath the same, which corresponds to the part ordinarily called the ash-pan in coalburning locomotives. The same is closed from end to end and open at its ends, said open ends being provided with dampers 3 and 4:, respectively, for regulating the flow of air into the air-trunk from eitheror both ends.

5 is an arch in the fire-box.

6 is a bottom lining forming the bottom of the fire-box and over the air-trunk 2.

7 is an air-passage, the walls of which are imperforate, extending from the air-trunk into the fire-box at the cross-wall 8 at the front end of the fire-box. The passage 7 is unbroken and continuous, its walls being imperfo'rate, so that by the time the air is discharged therefrom and introduced to the blaze it is thoroughly heated.

9 designates means for regulating the size of the air-passage 7. Any suitable means may be provided for this purpose. In the drawings the same consists of an adjustable plate held in place by a stud and nut 10.

11 is an air-passage leading from the rear end of the air-trunk into the fire-box below the oil-burner 12.

13 14 designate two adjustable plates, which constitute means for regulating the-size of the air-passage 11, and thus control the flow of air into the tire-box, at the rear end thereof.

15 designates bolts and nuts working in slot jfor this purpose. A suitable support is provided for the bottom lining 6. Such support -may be angle-irons 16, fastened to the side sheets of the shell 17 of the fire-box, and a plate 18, resting on said angle-irons or brackets 16.

19 designates foundation-bricks carried by said supports 16 and 18, and the same are held in place by the bricks a of'the bottom lining 6, said bricks being fitted between said side foundations 19. Each of the foundation bricks is shouldered at the top, the shoulder 20 being desirably constructed along the inner upper edge of said foundation-bricks 19, leaving a sufficient space between said shoulder and the shell 17 of the fire-box to allow the wall-bricks 21 and 22 to fit snugly between the shoulders 20 and the shell 17.

23 is a wedge-brick to fit beneath the section Z) of the arch to give the arch a proper and uniform pitch. The wall-brioks 21, which are rearward of thearch, may be taller than the wall-bricks 22, which form the piers of the arch, so that when the bricks are in place,

as shown in Fig. I, the wedge 23 is firmly held against. rearward movement.

The-archsections are formed integrally of suitable refractory material and may be beveled to correspond with the slant of the wedge, so that when the wedge is in place on the front wallbricks 22 gravity will act to hold the arch-seetions 7) from rearward displacement.

.24 designates grooves, and 25 tongues, on the wall-bricks 21. The rear ends of the wallbricks 22 and of the wedge 23 are provided with corresponding grooves 24 to receive the tongue25 of the foremost of the wall-bricks 21.

26 is a stud in the shell of the fire-box to enter the groove 2& of the rearmost of the bricks 21.

27 is-an angled stud projecting fromthe side wall or shell of the fire-box to enter agroove 24 in the foremost of the bricks 21. An intermediate one of the bricks 21 may be provided with a notch 28 to receive the angled-or headed stud 27. The head of said stud. is designed to project into line with the tongue 25 of said brick when said brick is brought into position. The notch 28 will be at the appropriate height to receive the stud 27 when the intermediate brick 21 is brought into position-on the foundation bricks or members 19.

29 is the cap-piece of the cross-Wall 8 at the front end of the arch and of the fire-box. The same may be constructed of standard fire-brick or may be of larger brick, as shown.

30 is an air-passage extending up from the air-trunk 2, through the cross-wall 8 and cap 29 and through the members or sections 6 of the arch, and opening at the rear end of the arch, so that the cross-wall and the arch are hollow and'air may be admitted to the flame as it bends around the arch, thus giving oxygen at this point beneath the flame to complete the combustion. The air passingthrough the heated cross-wall and arch-sections will prevent the superheating of said wall and sections and will become itself highly heated before coming into contact with the flame, so that the walls and arch-sections will be protected from the destructive action of the fire and the oxygen will be introduced to the flame in the most effective manner and condition for completing combustion.

In practical construction of the fire-box, the shell and the support 18 being in place, the foundations 19 will be placed in position and the members a of the bottom lining 6 will be placed on the support between the foundation-pieces 19. The cross-wall 8 will be built, then at the sides of the fire-box the arch wallbricks 22 will be placed in position on the foundation-pieces 19; then the intermediate wall-bricks 21" will be brought into position on the foundation-bricks 19 rearward of the studs 27 and will be slid along on top of the foundations 19 until the studs 27 enter the notches 28, whereupon the heads of said studs project into the line of the tongues 24 of said bricks 21"; then the foremost and rearwardmost of the wall-pieces 21 will be slid vertically down into place, the one entering the space between the piece 21 and the rearmost of the arch wall-bricks 22, while the rearmost of the wall-pieces 21 will. be inserted between the intermediate wall-piece 21 and the rear sheet or shell 0 of the fire-box. The archwedges 23 may then be slid vertically down into place and the arch-sectionsb placed upon said wedges 23.

31 designates a combustion-chamber with closed bottom for use on large locomotives having long fire-boxes. The same is between the front end of the arch 5 and the outlet 32 from the fire-box. In short fire-boxes this combustion-chamber may be dispensed with, as may also one section of the arch, thus to give sufficient space between the arch and the back sheet 0 of the fire-box.

It is very important that the air-inlets 7 and 11 from the air-trunk 2 be regulated to supply the air according to the requirements of the service. This will be done by loosening the nuts 10 or 15, as the case may be, and sliding the plates 9 or 13 14 to theappropriate adjustment. The dampers 3 and 1 at the rear and front ends of the air-trunk are un der the control of the engineer by means of connecting-rods 33 and 34;, respectively, portions of which are shown in the drawings. The air-trunk 2 extends or spreads under the entire bottom of the bottom lining 6 and is of considerably greater cross-sectional area than the passage opening at the rear of the arch.

In practical operation it will be found necessary to close the damper at the end of the airtrunk toward which the locomotive moves that is to say, when the locomotive is going forward the damper 4 will be closed and the damper 3 opened, and vice versa when the motion of the locomotive is reversed.

Each of the arch-sections Z) may be in the form of an arc (Z and combined springer and pier portions 6 at the ends thereof, all in a single piece, and the lower ends or faces of the combined springer and pier portions 6 will desirably be equal in width to the top of the wedge-sections 23-, respectively, so that there will be no opening or projection where the flre may act destructively upon the material of the sections or wedges where they come in contact with each other.

When the arch-sections Z) are not of sufficient length to span the space between the side sheets of the fire-box, I fill in the space between said side sheets and the ends of said arch-sections with what is known as grog z'. a, a mortar formed of fire-clay and sand to hold the arch-sections in place. g designates such grog.

It is to be understood that one or more archsections may be used without departing from the principle of this invention.

It is to be noted that the air which is introduced to the flame at the rear end of the arch is first heated by flowing through the passage 30 and that this hot air serves a double purpose, at once serving to protect the 'rear end of the arch from destructive action of the flame and adding oxygen underneath the stream of gases which flows forward thence over the hot arch toward the tubes 32. The high heat to which the oxygen thus introduced is thereby subjected causes the same to expand and rise into the forwardly-flowing flame to complete the combustion of the unconsumed carbon and hydrogen in such flame while the same is in the combustion-chamber before it begins to give up its heat to the water surrounding the tubes 32 of the boiler.

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A furnace having a bottom lining and a single air-trunk immediately beneath said bottom lining and spreading under the entire bottom of said lining and furnished with airopenings at front and rear thereof leading from the air-trunk into the fire-box, and an arch in the fire-box furnished with an air-passage opening at the rear of the arch to supply an additional quantity of air to the flame, the

IIS

greater than the cross-sectional area of said:

air-passage.

2. A furnace comprising-a fire-box, an airtrunk, an arch in the fire-box, a bottom lining between the firebox and air-trunk, thefurnace being provided with air-passages leading from the air-trunk into the fire-box at front and rear; means for regulating the size of said air-passages, respectively, and means at front and rear of the air-trunk for controlling the admission of air thereto.

3. A furnace comprising a fire-box, an airtrunk, an arch in the fire-box, a bottom lining between the fire-box and air-trunk, the furnace being provided with air-passages leading from the air-trunk into the fire-box, means for controlling said air-passages, respectively, and means at front and rear of the air-trunk, respectively, for admitting a regulated supply of air to the air-trunk.

4. A furnace comprising a fire-box, an airtrunk, an arch in the fire-box, abottom lining between the fire-box and air-trunlnthe fur nace being provided with air-passages leading from the air-trunk into the fire-box, means for controlling said air-passages, respectively; means at front and rear, respectively, for ad mitting a regulated supply of air to the airtrunk, an air-passage being provided leading from the air-trunk and discharging into the fire-box at the rear end of the arch.

5. A furnace comprisinga fire-box, an arch over the front end of the fire-box, a wall at the boxat that point, there being an inlet at each end of the fire-box for supplying a regulated quantity of air thereto, a slidable plate for regulating the size of the forward inlet, and

means for adjustably holding said plate 'in place.

6. An elongated fire-box having a bottom lining extending across the bottom of the rear portion thereof, an arch, foundation-bricks extending along the sides of the fire-box under and behind said arch, and tongue-and-groove bricks mounted on such foundation-bricks and fitted together.

7 An elongated fire-box comprising a shell, a support fastened to the shell, a series of wall foundations, said series extending lengthwise along the opposite sides of the fire-box having shoulders at the top opposite the shell, bricks on said support between the wall foundations, and superposed bricks held in place between the shoulder and the shell.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, at Los Angeles, California, this 31st day of May, 1902.

WILLIAM NEWTON BEST.

Witnesses:

' J AMES R. TOWNSEND, JULIA TOWNSEND. 

